Mumbai: Rahul Dravid -- a name which intrigues you to think about the solidity which he provided to the Indian batting line-up. Not many people would raise a finger to argue about Dravid not getting a monumental farewell.
The vicious attacking duo of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar did the job of getting the ball rolling for India. But it was Dravid's stability which manoeuvred the ball to right directions. 'The Wall' amassed above 13,000 runs with 36 centuries in Tests display the consistency which he had in the 2000s.
'A poignant end to an illustrious career' is not a tag which Dravid would have liked to be associated with him. However, the majority of people are still in awe of the right-hander, with a standpoint that 'Jammy' should've received a better farewell. Nevertheless, Dravid has left a huge void in the team's batting line-up after departing from Test and ODI cricket in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Cheteshwar Pujara -- a name which instantly pops up when someone ponders over Rahul Dravid's successor in Test cricket. However, the arrival of K L Rahul on the international podium has forced many people to squabble if KL has the potential to carry Dravid’s legacy. The ‘Karnataka’ connection adds more fuel to the fire. Proper batting technique, excellent fielding skills and ability to keep wickets are some of the traits which both the right-handers share.
Rahul spent most of his childhood in Mangalore but imbibed the rich Karnataka cricket history once he moved to Bengaluru at the age of 17. After being in news for all the wrong reasons because of a television chat show controversy, the 27-year-old has managed to rebound a career disaster. Dravid, who played a vital role in reviving Rahul’s career, has been hailed as a mentor by KL Rahul.
KL Rahul started off his World Cup 2019 campaign by smashing a spectacular ton against Bangladesh in the warm-up match. It is futile to compare his batting technique with Dravid's, but certainly showed glimpses of his maturity in that innings.
His innings might have helped him to sledge past his compatriots -- Vijay Shankar, Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik for the much debated 'Number Four' spot of the Indian batting line-up.
India has already tried a dozen players at the 'Number Four' position. But KL Rahul has galloped over them, at least at this moment.
Ultimately, it all lies in K L Rahul's hands. His performance will be scrutinized in the World Cup, and KL Rahul will have no choice but to ignore the uninvited pressure. According to reports, KL Rahul may get the opportunity to open the innings. He will have to blend with Rohit Sharma to propel India to a good start.
KL Rahul was in scintillating form in IPL 2019 while playing for Kings XI Punjab. He was the leading run scorer for the team, amassing 593 runs in 14 matches at an average of 53.90.
Since making ODI debut in 2016, KL Rahul has gathered 380 runs in 16 matches with only a ton in his arsenal. With the experience of only 16 ODI matches, Rahul has a long way to go to reach the stature of Dravid. Only time will tell if KL will add a few bricks to reinforce ‘The Wall’.
